The C Investigation
by Olympic Titan
Summary: Hector Caracalla has been chasing C for five years and he finally has a lead. Can he catch the elusive killer and avenge his brother? Or will the machinations of C prove too great for the detective to solve? (Based on an unused D&D campaign idea)
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The man was panting hard as he took cover around a wall and drew his pepperbox, the blue hextech barrel glowed softly in the night. He checked his bag, thank god that he had it on him when they kicked the door into his shop. The man quietly peeked around the corner only to see the flash of a rifle barrel. He pulled his head back just in time for the round to impale itself on the ground behind him. He looked up just to see a woman with hextech gauntlets coming down at him, causing him to dive out of the way.

"What the hell is wrong with you!? Are you trying to kill me!?" he yelled as the woman pulled her fist out of the ground.

"If we didn't come at you with the mind to kill you, you would have killed us, C." The man's eyes widened.

"What did you just say?"

"Today, we got a tip saying that you were C."

"And you believed them!"

"Doesn't matter if we believe them, we can't take any chances." The man fired a shot that panged of her gauntlet and continued to run hard, heading towards the lift that headed to Zaun, perhaps his only way out of Piltover. After a few more shots and dodges, he made it to the lift, only to find that it was covered in guards. He turned only to find two women, one with a rifle pointed at him and the other was the one who almost smashed his face in charging up the street. He backed up to the edge of the bridge he was standing on. He looked over to see a small space that he could make, though it looked very difficult.

"Cait, Vi," he said to the women, "I know I'm innocent, and I will prove it, by catching the real C." He then turned and jumped off the bridge towards the ledge to the surprised screams of the two women there he called his friends, one was the love of his life. He made the jump, but barely. And, to the sounds of shots being fired, he climbed his way down to Zaun. Though one shot got him on his shoulder and he lost his grip, plummeting down into the smog.


	2. Chapter 1: One Month Earlier

**Chapter 1: One Month Earlier**

A knock at his door roused the detective from his sleep, he opened his eyes and lowered his legs off his desk to see a shadow on the other side of his window.

"It's open," he said as he stood up straight in his chair, rubbing his eyes to remove any evidence of sleep.

"Master Hector?" said an elderly voice. Hector Caracalla lowered his hand see an elder halfling walk into this office.

"Conder? What are you doing here?" asked Hector as he stood up from behind his desk and embraced the halfling butler that had a huge hand in raising him.

"Your mother sent me to remind you that today's the dinner party and that you were invited. And I brought you some of your finer clothes." Conder turned around and reached into his wagon just outside the door and pulled out a parcel.

"Thank you Conder." responded Hector as he accepted the parcel. Conder quickly bowed, jumped back onto his wagon and took off down the street, Hector watched him turn the corner before heading back into his shop. He placed the parcel on his desk and opened it a bit, showing a grey tuxedo dress underneath, perfectly ironed, he smiled softly before rewrapping the parcel. Just then, there was another knock on the door behind him. Hector opened the door to see a beautiful woman standing in his doorway. "Caitlyn? What are you doing here?" The Sherrif of Piltover looked up at him, he noticed that she was carrying a small bundle of letters.

"Nothing much, I'm on break so I decided to bring you any cases that we thought you'd like to take a look at." At that, Hector's heart skipped a few beats and jumped up about ten at the same time, he had been in love with Caitlyn for years now but hasn't been able to confess to her because he's too shy about it and doesn't know if she'd return the feelings.

"Uh...yeah sure, come on in." he managed to stammer out, Caitlyn gave him a smile and pushed past him into the office, placing her hat on the desk and sitting in one of the two chairs in front of said desk. "Do you want anything to drink?" Caitlyn shook her head in the negative. "All right, what do you have for me?"

About a half hour later, they had gone through about ten of the twenty cases that the Wardens have decided to delegate to Hector, solving all ten of them with ease. "All right," said Caitlyn as she stood up and stretched, "I have to get back to the office, we'll get you your payments tomorrow." She turned and headed for the door.

"All right. Oh, by the way, Cait." Caitlyn stopped at hearing the childhood nickname he has for her.

"Yes?"

"Is your family going to my family's dinner party?" Caitlyn looked up at the ceiling in thought.

"Yes, we are, thanks for reminding me because I completely forgot about it."

"Same here, that is until Condor showed up and told me in person. Is Vi going?"

"I don't think so, parties aren't her thing you know." Hector let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, getting her into a dress is like trying to give a cat a bath." Caitlyn chuckled lightly.

"Well, I'll see you then." She then headed out into the city. Hector turned back and headed back to his desk and sat down. Some of the cases provided some new information on some topics, so he reached into several files inside his desk drawers and updated them with what he learned before spending the rest of the day taking case requests and half the payment down (unless they couldn't pay then he just chronicled their amount owed and told them that they could pay when they could). The cases were rather mundane, as they always were, consisting of the high society of Piltover's petty problems and minor scandals, to the point that they sometimes drive him insane.

At about six in the evening, Hector reached outside and flipped the sign on his door to the closed side and then headed upstairs to change. Slipping into his grey tuxedo dress, he checked himself in his mirror before heading out. Hector was a handsome young half-elf of 27. Stood about 5'11 and weighed about 165 lbs in excellent shape. He had dark hair that reached just below his ear lobes, tan skin, and deep blue eyes. He looked at his hand, the scar he received when designing his first gun with his brother was clearly visible, so he quietly went to his drawer and drew out a pair of gloves and slipped them on before heading out into the night towards the Caracalla family home.

**AN: **

**Hector Caracalla: Half-Elf Lv 8 (Rouge 5-Inquisitive, Fighter 3-Gunslinger)**

**Str: 10 (Saving Throw-+0)**

**Dex: 19 (Saving Throw-+7, Acrobatics-+7, Slight of Hand-+7, Stealth-+7)**

**Con: 16 (Saving Throw-+3)**

**Int: 20 (Saving Throw-+8, History-+8, Investigation (Expertise)-+11)**

**Wis: 18 (Saving Throw-+4, Insight-+7, Perception (Expertise)-+10)**

**Cha: 17 (Saving Throw-+3, Persuasion-+6)**


	3. Chapter 2: The Caracalla Family

The Caracalla family home was truly an impressive building. Elegantly large with four stories facing out into the ocean, it is a rather solitary estate for one of Piltover's more illustrious families. Raymond and Edmund Caracalla, the two brothers who brought the family into prominence both in commerce and politics respectively were the ones who built this estate. They were also Hector's grandfather and granduncle, the former title belonging to the elder Raymond and the latter belonging to the younger of the two. Hector's father, Joseph, a tall human male with the tanned skin of his father and the brown eyes of his mother, chose to enter the military instead of immediately following his father into commerce and by the time he was 40, reached the rank of Commodore (1-star admiral) in Piltover's small airship fleet. He then retired and took over the family business from his father, who was pushing his 75th year at that time (Edmund was 73 at this time). Fortunately, during his career as a soldier, Joseph met and married Allura Goltorah, a young adult elf from a very well respected family and the two have enjoyed a loving 30-year marriage. Through this marriage, they bore three children: Hector, his twin Cato, and his younger sister Helena, who was five years younger than the twins.

The twins could not have been more similar, yet at the same time more different. While they both displayed incredible intellectual acumen and looked very similarly physically (though Cato was a great deal paler than Hector), Cato focused more on technology and invention, Hector was drawn to puzzles, books, and the physical world. This led to Cato setting up a Magical, Hextech, and Black Powder weapons department in the Caracalla business and was set to be the one to inherit the title as head of the company (and by extension the family) over Hector. Hector himself didn't mind this one bit as by this point, he had already set himself up as a private detective and a consultant for the Piltover Wardens and was living a nice if modest, life. Another thing that separated the two brothers was their love life. Prior to his finding out of his feelings for Caitlyn, Hector clung firmly to his bachelorhood while Cato married Roberta Deguin, a member of a high political family and was rather happy with her. They moved into a two-story house with Hector in a more central part of Piltover and had even started a family, starting the fourth major generation of the Caracalla family with little Nila.

Helena was something else entirely, she was born with wits to match (if not exceed) her elder brothers and with her grandfather's business acumen. If not for her age, she would have been the one to succeed her father as head; but now, she was the prospective number two for Cato's term as the head. This was until five years ago when everything changed, Hector can still remember as if it had happened the day before: Roberta and Nila were sitting in the living room with Roberta reading her daughter a story while Hector sat with Helena at a desk (Hector had been conscripted by his sister to help organize some papers) and Cato was rather late for some reason, though they all trusted that he would be back soon. That is until there was a loud pounding at the door. Opening it up, Hector was met face to face with Caitlyn, who had to have had the saddest expression on her face. It didn't take a genius to infer that something had happened. It had been revealed that the murderer was the elusive serial killer C. After that, the Caracalla family has been at the same time very distant yet very close. Hector and Helena became even more devoted to each other as brother and sister though Hector still kept himself at a distance as he had lost his brother and best friend. Roberta moved back in with her family and didn't really speak to Hector for the last few years though recently has begun speaking to him again. Nila suffered the worst as she lost her father forever but was too young to understand. It was also that night that Hector swore to himself that he would hunt down C for this offense.

* * *

Hector pushed these memories out of his head as he approached the house. Looking up, he saw that the party had already started. Whitish yellow light shone out of the house, making a stark contrast with the dark sky behind it.

"Sir, we have to check you for weapons." said a voice next to him that shook him out of his musings. Looking left, he saw a man dressed in a navy blue suit, it was a member of the security team that protected the estate. "I'm sorry Mr. Hector but it's the rules."

"I know, I know," responded Hector as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a four-barreled pepperbox pistol, the first one he ever made with Cato and one that he kept on his person at all times, affectionately named: Small Beginnings. "Careful with it, it's loaded." he said as he handed it over. The Guard simply nodded as he put the gun in the small guard box that next to the gate leading up into the property. After handing Small Beginnings over, Hector went up into the house and saw that about twenty families were gathering in the main hall, which was the first room that one would see when entering the house. Behind that main hall, there was the dining/banquet hall and behind that, there was a large balcony facing out into the ocean.

"Hector?" said a soft voice from Hector's right. Hector turned and was face to face with an Elven woman, with blue eyes and pale skin with black hair braided in an elegant fashion and wearing a fashionable green dress. It was Allura, his mother.

"Hey mom, I made it." Allura embraced her son and thanked him for coming before bringing him to see his grandfather and granduncle, both of whom were sitting on one of the main hall's benches. "Sir Raymond, Sir Edmund, Hector's here." Hector squatted down so that he was eye level with both of the elder Caracalla men.

"Grandfather, Granduncle, it's good to see you. You both seem to be in good health."

"Indeed." responded Edmund as he placed a hand on Hector's shoulder, "You seem to be doing well yourself my boy."

"Yes," continued Raymond, "word has gotten around that you've been proving yourself to be quite a detective."

"Well," said Hector, scratching the back of his head a bit embarrassed, "I still have a long way to go."

"Nonsense," responded Raymond, letting out a hearty laugh, "Your mind is one of the best I've seen. I believe that you'll eventually become one of the best that Piltover has seen."

"Thank you Grandfather." said Hector as he rose and turned to his mother, "Where's Helena and father?"

"Your father is over there with some of his business friends," Allura pointed her finger to the center of the hall where Joseph stood surrounded by several men, talking intently, "and your sister is over there with some of her friends." Hector once again followed her finger to see Helena, with her black hair, pale skin, and brown eyes, laughing happily with some girls her age.

"Did Roberta come?" Hector didn't know if an invitation was directed at her, but he knew that his mother would definitely have sent an invitation.

"No, she didn't, she says tomorrow's the day and she wanted to prepare." Hector froze and his heart sank a bit, he had forgotten that tomorrow was the fifth anniversary of Cato's death.

"I see, I guess that would make sense." he said quietly before making his way across the hall to Helena. When his sister caught sight of him, her eyes widened and her face beamed.

"Big brother!" she said happily as she ran across and practically jumped onto her brother.

"Hey, hey, hey!" said Hector happily as he spun her around. She was a least a half foot shorter than him so he had to look down while she had to look up.

"I thought you weren't coming."

"To be honest, I completely forgot until Conder came to my office."

"I see, how've you been?"

"The same as before, nothing much has happened recently. Consulting a bit here and there."

"That's amazing. For me, it's been meeting after meeting. It's tedious."

"But you're good at it."

"Yeah, but still."

"All right, I'm going to see dad, have fun with your friends." Helena nodded and then headed back to her friends while Hector went to the center of the hall and stood quietly within the sight line of his father. When his father saw him, he excused himself from his friends and made his way over to his son. His 6'0 built frame stood face to face with Hector. "Hey dad." he said firmly. Joseph gave a small smile.

"Hello Hector, I'm glad that you could make it. How have you been?"

"I've been great. Business is fine." Joseph's face twitched a slight bit before smiling again.

"That's good, I hope you can enjoy the party."

"Thank you, I will." Joseph then turned on his heel with military precision and headed back to his friends. Hector let out a deep sigh and headed into the banquet hall, filled a small plate with food, grabbed a drink and headed to the balcony, it hadn't even been ten minutes and already he needed some air. Once outside, he set his plate on the balcony and stood there sipping his drink and looking out into the night sea, occasionally munching on some of the food on the plate beside him. Then, he heard footsteps behind him, a distinct clack of heels on marble.

"I thought that you'd be out here." said a familiar voice." Hector didn't even have to turn to know who it was.

"Hey, Cait."

"You know, I was playing a little game with myself to see how long you'd last before coming out here, guess I owe myself some cash." she said in a joking tone. Hector chuckled before offering her some of the food to which she took a small piece of pineapple. Caitlyn was wearing her hair in a braid that went down her lower back, a blue sleeveless corset dress, and blue heels. Hector thought that she looked stunning, to which he told her and she answered with a smile before asking him to dance with her. Hector, not the best dancer in the world, agreed after some hesitation.

* * *

It was nearly eleven when Hector returned to his shop, which is, in actuality, Cato's former home, which was left to him by Roberta. Entering his room, he tossed his coat onto his bed and changed into some working clothes before heading down into the basement where Cato kept his workshop.

Sitting at the work desk, he looked at his current project, an improvement of the six barreled pepperbox that he created a few years before. He felt that he was on the cusp of discovering something new but he figured that an improvement to the pepperbox first was necessary. This, the pepperbox version 2, would change some of the fundamental looks of the firearm (it would have the six barrels of a regular pepperbox and the handle part of a revolver) and reduce the chances of it jamming. He had dismantled his previous pepperbox: A Lone Prayer in order to create this version and had spent the last ten days putting it all together. He figured that he could finally assemble it completely, so he got to work putting it together: Placing the barrels into the firing chamber and then into the revolving axis in the center of the gun. Screwed the barrels in tightly so that it would fly off in combat and checked the single action hammer to see if it was working correctly.

Overall, it took him a half hour to fully assemble the weapon and check if was working correctly in every place. Now, all that was needed was a live fire test. Looking through a drawer, Hector found the stone that held a silence spell that Cato had created for this purpose and then loaded the pepperbox with six rounds. Holding the stone in his off hand, Hector spoke the command word and then all noise around him ceased. Quickly, he kicked a chair over and sure enough, no noise. He then quickly made his way over to the little firing range that he kept in the workshop and pointed the new gun at a target and squeezed the trigger six times. Six silent flashes shone as the bullets pounded into the target, tearing off parts of the hay and leather that held it together, and as a special trait of the barrels, the final shot packed a bit more of a punch due to the hextech accelerator (courtesy of a birthday gift from Caitlyn) installed in it. Satisfied, Hector dispelled the magic and then headed back to his room, placed the new pepperbox that he decided to call Studiopolis Zone on the bedside table alongside Small Beginnings, took off his clothes and then collapsed onto the bed and immediately passed out.


	4. Chapter 3: The Documents Case

Sunlight poured into Hector's room the next morning, rousing him from his sleep. He didn't dream much these days, which he liked because leading up to this, he'd have nightmares about C killing people he loved: Caitlyn, Vi, Roberta, Helena, Nila, the list went on.

Hector got up and did some calisthenics to help get the blood flowing before heading into his shower to get ready for the day. Once he got out of the shower, he dressed in some casual clothes: Black Pants with brown boots (that were custom boots of haste, a gift from a client as payment) and a white button-down shirt. Once downstairs, he made himself some poached eggs with sausage, toast, and an orange that he bought from the market the previous day. He smiled as he ate the first bite and found it very good when he first started cooking for himself, it was terrible but after five years of going at it, he finally got it to his own high standards. After brushing his teeth and cleaning the dishes he used, Hector grabbed his brown long coat (one of several he kept: which were blue, grey, brown and black), both of his guns, and headed out into town, making sure that the sign said 'Closed' on his door before heading to the outskirts of town; as his mother told him the day before: today was the day and he headed for the cemetery.

It was about a ten-minute walk to get to the cemetery which had a commanding view of the bay behind it. Near the edge, there sat a lone oak tree where Hector could see two beings, one being a woman and the other was a small child, there were a few other people visiting but other than that, the rest of the cemetery was empty. Hector took a deep breath before approaching the couple.

"Roberta?" he said carefully. The woman turned to look at Hector, Roberta Caracalla was dressed in a simple black dress, her brown hair hung freely and her green eyes looked at Hector with a sadness that he knew all too well.

"Hello Hector, it's been a while."

"It has."

"Uncle Hector!" cried a cheerful voice as Hector felt his left leg get heavier. He looked down to see his niece clinging onto him. She looked exactly like her mother but with her father's blue eyes.

"Hey kid," said Hector as he picked up the eight-year-old, "you doing okay? You listening to your teachers?" She nodded, "Listening to your mother?" she nodded again, "And being a good girl?" she nodded a third time, "Good girl." he said as kissed her cheek and lowered her down before turning back to Roberta. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long, though I can't think of anything to say other than what has happened in the past year."

"I understand."

"Well, we actually have to go because your mother called on us."

"She did?"

"Yeah, she wants to see me and her grandchild."

"That sounds like mom." said Hector letting out a small laugh, "Well, I'll let the two of you go. You be a good girl for grandma, okay Nila?"

"I will," said Nila, giving him a childish salute. Hector smiled and ruffled her hair before letting the two of them go. Once they were out of earshot, he turned back to the tombstone that read: Here lies Cato Caracalla: Son, Father, Brother, Husband, Inventor.

"Hey bro, how've you been. Nothing much has happened in the last year. Uhh, I got more high profile work from the higher-ups and the wardens as well. I still haven't told Caitlyn how I feel, I know you'd laugh at me for that, telling me it's been two years but what can I do? I feel like a child all over again. Oh, I almost forgot," Hector stood up and drew Studiopolis Zone and held in front of the stone like a grown-up showing a child a cool toy, "it's based on the prototype you were working on, I'm glad that I was able to do because I'm not even half the inventor you were and all your notes and books still kind of fly over my head but I'm determined to keep your trade alive so I'll learn as much as I can. Though I will admit that what I had learned has helped in some cases." He looked up and saw that the sun had climbed about halfway up the sky, "I guess this is goodbye for now," he said as he stood up, "I have to get back to the shop so I could get some work done. Take care." He then turned and headed back into town.

When he arrived back at this shop, Hector saw a note wedged into his door. He, of course, pulled it out and read it. 'Hector, come to Jayce's home, there's been a crime and I want you to look at it. -Caitlyn'

Hector raised an eyebrow slightly before going into his office, grabbing a pair of black gloves that he uses when at crime scenes and then heading out to Jayce's home.

* * *

Jayce, the brilliant inventor who had dedicated his life to protecting Piltover was a man that Hector did not like that much. Several years Hector's senior, he did believe that Jayce was fundamentally a good person, but extremely difficult to work with. It was that unwillingness to reign himself in so that other people could understand and work with him was what Hector did not like at all. When he got there, it was already a scene out a theater production. There were members of the Wardens blocking off the property from the public, though a small crowd had gathered around the place regardless. Hector pushed himself through the crowd and showed his identification to one of the guards there, who let him through. Once inside, he saw that Vi, the hot-headed Piltover enforcer was standing at the entrance to the house, impatiently pacing back and forth, which was somewhat intimidating as she currently had her gauntlets which swung back and forth like wrecking balls.

"Hey." said Hector as he approached her.

"Hey." she replied, "Glad you could come."

"Yeah, I guess you guys need someone who can tune out Jayce being an ass." The two smiled and let out a laugh together, they'd been friends for a while now and both had shared a similar disdain for authority and bureaucracy, and a similar sense of humor. "What do we have?"

"Burglary, someone stole some research documents."

"Any leads?"

"Jayce swears that it's the work of Victor, but…."

"You and Cait don't think so?"

"Yeah, despite his lack of a moral compass and the animosity between them, I doubt Victor would revert to stealing."

"Hmm. Let's see what you got." Vi then led Hector up the stairs up to one of the higher floors. Once there, Hector saw both Jayce and Caitlyn standing in front of an office, Jayce had his arms crossed in front of his chest and Caitlyn had a notepad in her hand, he then quietly pulled out and put on the gloves that he had, replacing the grey fingerless gloves that he usually wore. "Hey Cait, Mr. Jayce." he said, nodding to each, "If you don't mind, I'd like a few minutes alone in there." Jayce's face twisted somewhat but consented and opened the door into the office. Hector entered and closed the door behind him. The office itself was trashed, papers were thrown everywhere, the closet was open and there was a gaping hole in the middle of the glass window behind the desk, and the desk had many of its drawers open. Hector cracked his knuckles and neck before setting to work, after a few minutes he had determined the following: The burglar came through the window that seemed to be seared through with a hole about two feet in diameter, some items were missing from the closet. After standing in the center of the room for a few minutes, putting a possible theory together, he stepped out and turned to Jayce. "Do you mind if I gather and interview the staff?"

"Certainly."

"Thank you." Hector then turned to one officer that had joined them, "Would you mind doing that officer?" The officer glanced at Caitlyn who nodded before going off to do his assigned duty. Hector started off down the stairs, followed by Caitlyn and Vi.

"Why didn't you ask to interview Jayce himself?" asked Vi as they walked down the stairs.

"Because," he said, cracking a small smile, "I saw that as I came up, Caitlyn had a notepad and giving that she was talking to him, I would assume that she had already interviewed him." he then turned to Caitlyn for confirmation. She sighed slightly before handing the notepad over.

"I did." she said, she began reciting what had transpired as Hector read the notes on the pad, "According to Jayce, a blue Dragonborn, called himself Baal Stormbringer, appeared saying that he was a representative for Victor in some matter. He won't go into it."

"Mmm." replied Hector, reading the pad. Caitlyn continued.

"They debated over something before the Dragonborn retired to consult his client. Jayce went up and found his office ransacked. Nobody saw anything but he swears that the Dragonborn had something to do with it."

"And?" asked Hector looking up at her.

"Apparently he is the younger brother of Ambassador Stormbringer from Demacia so he technically had diplomatic immunity but he waived it to come and submit to questioning it. Strange Dragonborn, looked like a planetarium was splashed on his body. But his story checks out, the only thing he went was to represent Victor as some sort of negotiator in exchange for a service. Apparently from what he told us, there was a dispute between Victor and Jayce over some documents."

"Not entirely surprised." murmured Hector. He then looked back at them, "Please, go on."

"Regardless, we can't find anything to implicate him but Jayce is still wanting to do something."

"Do you want me to go down to Zaun?" asked Hector. Caitlyn bit her lip like she usually did when she wanted something but didn't want to say it. Hector knew that was what she wanted him to do. "Fine. Just let me interview these people before I go." They then entered the main hall where the staff of the house was gathered. Hector walked in front of them and looked up and down the line, "Thank you for gathering here, I promise that this won't take much of your time. If you would all please retire to another room nearby while I interview you all one at a time starting with Mr. Beaker, the butler." A middle-aged human male approached him, "Please, sit." The butler sat at the large table and Hector sat across from him, "Now, please relay to me the events as you remember them."

* * *

Two hours later Hector was riding down the only lift that connected Zaun and Piltover. The notes that he had taken as a result of the interviews were placed within his bag. He was glad he had chosen to wear darker colors today, it saved him a trip back home to change clothing. There was nobody within the lift with him and to be honest, why would there? Zaun was the wild and the slums to the eyes of the people of Piltover, nobody from the wardens would ever be taken seriously within the borders of the chemical spewed city. Vi and Hector were the only ones who worked on behalf of the wardens with Zaun, Vi is the more loudmouthed and official one who mostly went in there when there was a need to crack some skulls while Hector was the quiet and secret one, the surgeon's tool for the Wardens. He would often make deals with the Barons and hung out at the gang hideouts, trading information. Within the streets of Zaun, he was called the Outside Judge as he took no sides within the city, no matter how much the Barons tried to bribe him, and he even moderated a few deals that stopped the streets from running with more blood than there already was on them. Nobody in Piltover outside of Caitlyn and Vi knew about the Outside Judge.

The door of the lift opened up and the stench of chemicals permeated Hector's sense of smell. No matter how many times he went to the city, it still churned his stomach for at least the minute it took him to adjust. The permanent dusk caused by the fumes didn't really affect him as his half-elf nature granted him a natural advantage when it came to vision in low light areas. He focused his senses as he made his way to the College of Technomatury where Victor had set up his lab. On his way, he noticed some members of some of the Chem Gangs following him but he easily lost them by taking some side streets. Arriving at the tower, he quietly strode through the courtyard and into the lobby. After asking the receptionist where Victor was he quietly made his way into the lab. Hector didn't really know Victor as much as he knew Jayce but he did have respect for the man. As crazy as he was, he stuck to his guns, and there was the fact that Hector had dragged Viktor out of his original lab back when it blew up even though he technically was supposed to support Jayce in his raid. Entering the lab, Hector saw that Victor, now more machine than man, was bending over a worktable.

"Victor." he said. The inventor raised his mechanical face and turned towards Hector.

"Mr. Caracalla, to what do I owe this visit?"

"Victor, you know why I am here." Victor looked at a couple of weapons around him and turned back towards his work table, sighing as he did.

"I should have known that Jayce was going to send you after me."

"You should know that I'm actually a bit sympathetic to you since I don't like Jayce that much. And it was Caitlyn who sent me, not Jayce."

"So? Ask your questions, I'm listening."

"Did you authorize a heist to steal research?"

"No. I only contracted Mr. Stormbringer and his motley crew to go and try to retrieve _my _research, I don't care how he did it."

"Your research?" Victor pointed at a small stack of papers on a desk. Hector went over to it and began reading through it. It then struck him, it was almost identical in topic to a paper that Jayce had published only a week before, in fact, it was identical. Most of the intricacies kind of went over Hector as he wasn't an expert in hextech but he managed to understand a good portion of it. "Holy shit, he stole this."

"I only got back what was rightfully mine."

"You're not going to come out and say that he stole this?"

"No, technically it's a concept that both of us created when we worked together and as far as I'm concerned, we're even."

"I see."

"Is that all Inspector?"

"Yes, I'm satisfied with your answers. I'll tell them that you didn't have anything to do with the theft and that your involvement was a coincidence." Hector then turned on his heel and began to walk out of the office.

"Inspector...wait." Hector turned back around.

"Yes?"

"Is that...a hextech accelerator attached to your gun?" Hector looked down a Studiopolis Zone that was in a holster that allowed the barrel to dangle outside. He then eyed the inventor cautiously.

"Yes."

"Would you like me to upgrade it as thanks for your discretion? I still have some raw hextech lying around."

"How much would it cost me?" said Hector as he handed the gun over tentatively. Victor looked at it before stating the number.

"Since it's looked pretty advanced, all I can do is strengthen the accelerator's power with the raw hextech. So in all, about…..500 GP." Hector felt his heart sink, he only had about 100 GP in his pocket.

"I think I can scrounge up the money." he sighed.

"Of course, I'm quite confident that The Gentleman Fighter can find a way to make that money." Hector stared at Victor, his gaze slightly defensive.

"How the hell do you know about that?"

"There's very little to entertain oneself here in Zaun." even behind the metal head, Hector could swear that Victor was smiling. "Rest assured that Ms. Caitlyn or the Caracalla's would never hear of your little...hobby.

"They better not." growled Hector as he made his way out of the College and towards a bar. Making his way to the back, he opened the door and headed down until he came to a cage in a large cellar. He made his way to the bar in the back and ordered a drink.


End file.
